MAY, 2010 VOLUME XXVI, # 5
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 6:00 PM
The South Street Seaport Museum
12 Fulton Street, New York, NY
DECODENCE:
Legendary Interiors & Illustrious Travelers Aboard SS Normandie
Guided Tour of the Exhibition Led by William H. Miller
France's NORMANDIE, commissioned in 1935, is widely acknowledged as the most luxurious Atlantic super-
liner ever built. She was an Art Deco tour de force, a floating Waldorf Astoria, indeed from the era of Fred &
Ginger dancing cheek-to-cheek.
Sadly, the ship sailed for only 4-1/2 years and then burned and capsized at her West 48th St. berth in February
1942. But she lives on. Mario Pulice, one of the greatest NORMANDIE collectors anywhere, has provided
almost all of the collection for DECODENCE --- an exhibit of furnishings, memorabilia & objects d'art, not only
on the ship itself but of design, decoration & maritime style --- now staged at the South Street Seaport
Museum. Bill Miller is curator of the exhibit and will personally guide us this evening. Indeed, the
NORMANDIE will be "sailing" once again!
Directions:
Subway: 2, 3, 4, 5, J, Z, or M to Fulton Street; A and C to Broadway-Nassau. Walk east on Fulton Street and cross Water Street. Bus: M9 &15 along
Water Street to Fulton, then cross street. The museum entrance is on the right, halfway along the Fulton Street pedestrian mall.
ADDRESS: NEXT MEETINGS: Thursday, June 24
P.O. Box 384 Cruise to Halifax and Boston on the QUEEN MARY 2; July 1-6
New York, NY 10185-0384
E-MAIL: WEB SITE:
wsspony@gmail.com www.worldshipny.com
THE PORTHOLE, published by the Port of New York Branch, World Ship Society, welcomes original material for publication. Address to the editor,
Marjorie Dovman. Opinions expressed are those of the author only and not of the PONY branch or THE PORTHOLE.
March, 2010 Page 2
SHIP'S LOG If you're visiting Vancouver, BC the local branch of WSS
Due to schedule conflicts, Ship's Log will return in June. will have its next meeting on Wednesday, September 8.
The program will be announced at a later date.
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES Meetings are held at the Vancouver Maritime Museum at
1905 Ogden Avenue (Kitsilano Point). For additional
Bill Miller sailed on a 20-day segment of the SILVER information if you visit, contact Glenn Smith: 604-684-
SPIRIT's gala maiden voyage, from Los Angeles to Ft. 1240, e-mail glenn.smith@worldshipsocietyvan.ca. In the
Lauderdale. Charles and Marjorie Zuckerman crossed museum, current exhibits include "We Stand For Thee:
the Atlantic on a repositioning cruise on the An exhibition to commemorate the Canadian Navy
CONSTELLATION, from Miami to Hamburg, Germany Centennial" and "Studies in Sea Ice", by Roberta
with a stop in Rotterdam. Bob & Phyllis Poda were on a Holden. For more information, contact the museum at
23-day segment of the AMSTERDAM's world cruise, 604-257-8300 or vwww.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
from Singapore to Kobe. Robert Hatem did the entire
world cruise on the QUEEEN MAY 2, from January 4 AT THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM
through April 15. Chris & Barbara Skokos were on the There will be a series of guided tours of the exciting new
SUMMIT for a Caribbean cruise in February. exhibit "Decodence: Legendary Interiors and Illustrious
Travelers Aboard the s.s. NORMANDIE." Tours are on
WELCOME ABOARD May 8, 9, 22 and 23 at 1:00 PM, at 12 Fulton Street.
Continuing the theme of great French liners, join ocean
Welcome to our newest member, Joseph McDonough. liner historians Bill Miller, Mario Pulice and Rory McEvoy
for an all-day seminar, "France Afloat," celebrating the
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! great French ocean liners NORMANDIE, ILE DE
We know that many of you have great stories about your FRANCE, LIBERTE, and FRANCE. This event is on
cruises, maritime interests, collections and other topics Saturday, May 15 at 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (lunch not
of interest to WSS PONY members. To contribute to the included); tickets are $15 members / $25 non-members.
Porthole, just contact Marge Dovman at a meeting or via Reservations are required for the seminar. Enjoy a
the P.O. box. Web site contact is David Sykes, who may spring walking tour of the Seaport Historic District on
be contacted the same way or via e-mail. May 8, 9, 22 and 23 at 3:00 PM; meet at 12 Fulton
Street. Also, continuing at the Seaport are "Treasures of
JOIN WSS AT SEA a President: FDR and the Sea" and "Monarchs of the
Sea: Celebrating the Ocean Liner Era." Free Friday, this
Join our July 4 Holiday Weekend Cruise, sailing July 1
month on May 21, will feature a Waterfront and Ships
on the QUEEN MARY 2, from Brooklyn to Halifax and
Tour, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Pier 16. Finally, on May
Boston. For details, contact Brad Hatry at Pisa Brothers
29, harbor cruises on the PIONEER resume for the
Travel, 212-265-8420 ext. 222
summer season. On that day, PIONEER will also offer a
Marine Ecology program from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Pier
BILL MILLER FEATURED IN THE NEW YORKER
16. For more information, call 212-748-8786, e-mail
reservations@southstseaport.org or go online to
In the March 22 issue, WSS PONY member and world-
www.southstreetseaportmuseum.org.
class ocean liner historian Bill Miller was featured in the
"Here to There Dept." A brief summary of Bill's career AT THE STATEN ISLAND MUSEUM
as a maritime lecturer and author was given, along with
a paragraph or two about his current activities. The See the exhibit "The Staten Island Ferry: The First 100
article ended with a description of Bill's remarkable Years of Municipal Service" at the museum, located at
collection of ocean liner models, complete with replicas 75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island NY 10301. For
of New York's West Side liner piers of the 1950's. additional information, call 718-727-1135 x 113.
THE FLEET IS IN! "CRUISE THE BIG APPLE" WITH NY WATERWAY TOURS
What would spring in New York be without the annual New York Waterway has published a spring and summer
Fleet Week? In almost every year since 1984, we've cruise schedule that is sure to please those who seek a
had the opportunity see fascinating navy ships, and the short, budget-priced voyage. The 90-minute Skyline and
men and women who sail them. This year, the fleet will Twilight Cruises, as well as the NY History Cruise leave
be in from May 26-31, docked on the West Side of from Pier 78 at 38th Street & 12th Avenue. The Gateway
midtown Manhattan. For more information, check your to America Cruise departs from Slip 5 in the Maritime
local newspaper or TV station. Building near Battery Park. The 4th of July Cruises will
depart from numerous points in New York and New
Jersey. Yankee Clipper Baseball Cruises sail to every
YOUR DAILY PROGRAMME Yankees home game throughout the baseball season.
For prices and additional information, contact NY
VANCOUVER WSS & VANCOUVER MARITIME MUSEUM Waterway Tours at 1-800-FERRY or online at
www.nywaterway.com
March, 2010 Page 3
GUEST EDITOR
Marge Dovman continues to enjoy a long; Bob Allen is
still manning the Editor's desk in her absence.
SHIP NEWS
The vast ash cloud caused by the Icelandic volcano
brought much European air traffic to a standstill in
late April. At the height of the disruption on April 20,
the new CELEBRITY ECLIPSE arrived in
Southampton and was scheduled for an inaugural
cruise for travel agents and members of the press.
However, her owners decided to divert the brand
new ship to Spain to rescue stranded British citizens
and bring them back to England in style.
The Carnival Corporation announced in early May
that they would build two 141,000-gross ton, 3,600-
passenger vessels for their Princess Cruises brand.
They stated that the new ships would be of a
prototype design, yet would be "evolutionary,"
keeping many public venues and features familiar to
Princess passengers. The new cruise ships which
are due in 2012 and 2014 have yet to be named,
and will be the first added to the fleet since the
RUBY PRINCESS of 2008.
March, 2010 Page 4
Aboard the MIKHAIL LERMONTOV
Robert Strang
On May 28, 1973 the MIKHAIL LERMONTOV departed we were seated at our originally assigned table adjacent to the
Leningrad on her maiden voyage, arriving in New York on captain’s table, where we met our table companion, an elderly
June 11, which made her the first Russian liner to call there in Canadian lady, who was a travel agent from Montreal and had
25 years. During the summer she offered very reasonably boarded at Boston.
priced cruises to Nassau and Canada, as had her sister ship, the
ALEXANDER PUSHKIN, from Montreal since 1967. After dinner we returned to the lounge, where the
cruise director acted as the MC for the evening’s
On a Saturday afternoon in July 1974, we boarded entertainment of song and dance performed by both his
the MIKHAIL LERMONTOV at Pier 40 in lower Manhattan American staff and members of the ship’s crew, who did
for a cruise to Canada. The departure was scheduled for the double duty as entertainers. For example, the harpist was the
evening. After settling into our cabin, we prepared for dinner ship’s nurse; likewise the dancers were dining room waiters
and later explored the ship. When we arrived at the dining and waitresses and cabin stewards. It made for a very pleasant
room with our table number card, there was a bit of confusion. evening’s entertainment.
It seems our assigned table was located adjacent to the
captain’s table, and it was in use by him to entertain a larger In the morning, after breakfast, my son and I went to
group of shore guests than his table alone could handle. the lounge to meet the chief engineer. At precisely 10 A.M. he
However, we were assured that the table we were offered for entered the room, and after warm greetings guided us aft to a
the evening was only temporary. After dinner we went on door and stairway leading down to the huge cavern of the
deck to watch the sailing. As the ship departed the pier, there engine room. Occupying most of the space was a pair of
was a brass band of crew members on the forward deck enormous seven-cylinder Sulzer diesels. Lining the walls was
playing selections of marching music, something you no a collection of giant wrenches and spare engine parts. The
longer see. Like passengers on so many ships leaving New room, although crowded, was orderly and spotless. He showed
York, we remained on deck as the LERMONTOV sailed us the massive stainless steel propeller shafts, each equipped
down the Hudson River, passing the Statue of Liberty. with a braking device. He took special effort to explain how
Afterward we went to the Bolshoi Lounge to listen to the these devices could be activated to stop the shaft from turning,
Russian dance band attempting to simulate Benny Goodman. should they need to repair one of the engines while still under
During the course of the evening, Betty was approached to way and powered by the other engine. In addition to the two
dance by a gentleman who was casually dressed, like most of main engines, there was the bank of smaller engines for
us on this informal evening. He was wearing an open neck generating electricity. I don’t recall any of the details of the
shirt, dark pants with a wide belt and shiny black shoes. We engineering controls, other than the much larger two-sided
thought for sure he must be either a New York City policeman engine room telegraph. What impressed me the most about it
or fireman on vacation. No matter, Betty found Bill to be an was that it had more than the usual number of sectors, and the
excellent dancer. indicators were only at slightly beyond half speed, yet at the
time we were very much well under way, cruising toward
The next day we arrived in Boston to receive more Canada. Although not of any authority, I have always felt the
passengers. As we departed, again the brass band was playing MIKHAIL LERMONTOV, if ever called upon to do so, was
marches on the forward deck. Once at sea, it was time to dress capable of much greater speed than the established maximum
formally for the captain’s cocktail party in the Bolshoi of 20 knots. Upon completing the tour, we thanked the chief
Lounge. As we entered the lounge, each was handed a small engineer for his time and he guided us back up to the main
glass of Russian vodka for a toast. Well, except for our 12- deck.
year-old son. He was quickly offered a glass of soda.
Following the toast, Russian champagne was served along
with never-ending trays of caviar and crackers. The captain Our first stop in Canada was St. John, New
introduced his officers, and then turned the program over to Brunswick, where, while the passengers were on shore
the cruise director, who was an American. I will have to say excursions, the cruise staff chef was very busy acquiring a
that the Baltic Shipping Company was indeed wise; they had large quantity of fresh lobsters for this evening’s very special
hired not only an American cruise director, but also his entire Lobster Newburgh banquet. After dinner we attended the
staff, which he now introduced. There was his assistant, a nightly entertainment in the Bolshoi Lounge. But Jonathan had
couple of singers, an eight-piece jazz band, a few other found the three or four slot machines much more fascinating
entertainers, a chef from the Waldorf-Astoria to advise in the and kept bugging us for more quarters. True, they won’t serve
kitchen and finally, a Catholic priest, Father Bill! Ah, so much vodka to a 12-year-old, but no one ever questioned him about
for Betty’s dance partner for the rest of the cruise. I took this playing the slots. Betty said, “OK, Jonathan, here are the last
opportunity to speak to the chief engineer about seeing “his” two quarters for tonight.” And off he went, leaving us to watch
engine room. He agreed and said to meet him tomorrow the rest of the entertainment, but not for long. Shortly he
morning here in the lounge at 10 A.M. At dinner this evening, returned with his jacket pockets bulging with quarters. He had
March, 2010 Page 5
hit the jackpot! So for the rest of the cruise, he used his own One day it was announced that that evening there
quarters and still had cash when we returned home. would be a costume party in the Bolshoi Lounge, and
everyone was encouraged to do their best to create something
One morning we met Father Bill in the hallway and original. On deck the cruise staff was offering assistance and
after the usual greetings he asked us to attend, as he put it, “his supplies. Jonathan chose to be a slot machine in keeping with
wedding.” Of course, we must have looked shocked, and he his jackpot winnings. From somewhere below, the staff
went on to explain that a couple had approached him wishing acquired a large cardboard box for him to cover with crepe
to renew their vows on their anniversary. We said, “Oh, that paper and color with crayons. I opted to be dressed as a
sounds very nice.” To which he replied, “Well, it is a bit more dignitary, wearing my black tuxedo with a red sash and a large
complicated. You see, they are Jewish! But I told them, having rhinestone pin borrowed from Betty. She elected to be a
been a Navy chaplain, I would study the service and oblige.” modern day Miss Liberty, wearing her bright yellow short
So that afternoon in this Russian ship’s theater, a U.S. shorts, a matching yellow stretch jersey top, yellow stockings
Catholic priest performed a wedding service for a Jewish and high heels. Her crown was made of yellow construction
couple in Canadian waters, complete with the “Mazel Tov” paper and the book she carried in her left arm consisted of a
and the stomping of the glass. Truly, this had been an few magazines covered with yellow crepe paper, as was a
international event. flashlight for the torch. That evening, when she paraded across
the dance floor of the Bolshoi Lounge, she made a very
During the course of the cruise, we sailed along the striking appearance. But it was Jonathan who took the prize,
St. Lawrence River and turned into the Saguenay River with when the MC inserted quarters in a slot in the box and lowered
its high cliffs. Upon one of the cliffs is located a large Jonathan’s left arm like the lever on a slot machine and Jon,
religious statue. As we passed it, to honor the occasion, the from inside, dispensed winnings through an opening. Indeed it
Russian tenor, Edward Boxer, rendered “Ave Maria” over the was a fun evening. I am sure the LERMONTOV cocktails
ship’s public address system. When he had finished, a group helped, which are very much like a Bloody Mary, but served
of French Canadians on deck, who had boarded at Boston, in a special tall tulip glass with a stalk of celery. It was not
offered their version in French, not to be outdone by a uncommon to see rows of them lined up on the tables on deck
Russian. at 10 in the morning.
We found the items in the gift shop very interesting. The swimming pool onboard the LERMONTOV was
The most popular were the carved wood bears and of course glass-enclosed with a roof that opened. I believe it was on the
the Russian champagne, wines and vodka. A most attractive last night of the cruise, after leaving Boston; not only had they
fur hat caught Betty’s eye. However, when she tried to buy it, closed the roof, but the pool water was well heated and Jon
the saleslady said “Nyet! Man’s hat!” and she absolutely and I enjoyed a very delightful late evening swim. However,
would not sell it to her. So the next day I bought it for her. the next morning we arrived back in New York and like all
good things, this cruise came to an end. Like the song
At one of the stops, I believe it was Prince Edward rendered one evening by Edward Boxer in the Bolshoi
Island, they were offering a tour of the bridge. What I found Lounge, “Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d
most interesting was a large navigation console that digitally never end.” But of course it did, with us returning home, and
displayed our position and the exact time. Very impressive, Father Bill to his parish.
considering this was 1974.
March, 2010 Page 6
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OFFICERS EXECUTIVE BOARD COMMITTEE HEADS
Chairman: Carol Miles Richard Faber Finance:
Vice Chairman: Marjorie Dovman Doug Friedlander* House: J. Fred Rodriguez*
Membership Secretary: Tom Rinaldi David Hume* Membership: Tom Rinaldi
Branch Secretary: Roxanne Almond* Richard Morse Newsletter: Marjorie Dovman
Treasurer: Alan Borthwick David Powers* Nomination/
J. Fred Rodriguez Recruitment: George McDermott*
David Sykes* Program: Ted Scull*
Dan Vaccaro Special Events: Dan Vaccaro
Web Site: Ted Scull*
* = Past Chairman